The executive producer of Smallville has revealed that Clark will face a number of challenges in the new season.

Kelly Souders told that it will be some time before Tom Welling's character becomes Superman.

                                                       

"We've got 22 episodes to do it," she said. "[Clark] has a few more obstacles and lessons to learn."

Souders continued: "When you look at Smallville right now, he's definitely not the Superman - the bright light, the inspirational guy - that he will be by the end of the season. He's still in sort of a dark hour.

"There are things that he's internally wrestling with, and he really has to get over that in order to become that inspirational hope."